The World of Movies: Undertow
Written by Rachael Crawley
The World of Movies is a series that explores global cinema, drawing on films from many countries, industries and eras. This week, we follow a love story – and its aftermath – in Peru.
Undertow.
May contain spoilers.
Undertow (Javier Fuentes-León, 2009) is a complicated story of romance, but also of personal growth and of the dynamics within a community. While first seeming like a regular story of star-crossed lovers, its premise soon grows into a much more nuanced take on the trope.
Miguel (Cristian Mercado) is a young married fisherman, soon to be a father, who lives in a close-knit village (the real-life Cabo Blanco). Secretly, he is involved in a relationship with Santiago (Manolo Cardona). Their time together is fun and carefree, and it is clear that they have deep affection for each other. However, they soon run into friction, which is exacerbated by tensions from the village.
One thing we learn early is that the village handles death as a community. Together, they gather to prepare the body and hold a burial, which is marked by local tradition. As the film continues, taking a strange and supernatural turn that takes time to fully comprehend, this ceremony takes on an added importance. However, it does not become all about the drive to get there – we instead take our time to really understand the characters’ situation and milieu.
Undertow.
The movie is honestly slow to start, and at first appears to be a typical romantic drama. With this shift, it becomes something new and much more interesting. Mercado and Cardona have excellent chemistry together, and the actors are able to bring their characters through a significant tonal shift. Mercado in particular is excellent as the family man afraid to face his reality. It becomes far more about his own development than either of his relationships, and Mercado skillfully handles all of it.
An aspect I found refreshing is the portrayal of Mariela (Tatiana Astengo), Miguel’s wife. Rather than simply existing as an obstacle, she is a fully realized character, and her relationship with Miguel is warm and loving. As with Miguel and Santiago, this connection feels convincing, and the characters’ motivations are well established.
The benefits and drawbacks of living in a small village are also spelled out clearly (along with a complicated hierarchy), and this extends into the aesthetics of the production, filmed on location. The various structures of the village are important pieces in themselves, from the expansive beaches to the abandoned buildings where Santiago and Miguel meet. While the story is fiction, it does give a detailed picture of daily life within the community, as much of the film is devoted to conflicts and discussions between the villagers (whether directly relevant to the plot or not).
Undertow presents us with an excellent love story, but it stands out from many typical romances, both for its ability to experiment with genre and its unusual amount of time spent developing its environment. The characters are well-developed and compelling to watch. Alternately melancholy and hopeful, this film explores its premise with a thoughtful, multifaceted approach.
Rachael Crawley holds a Master's Degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, and has worked with film in Canada and in Europe. She adores language and cinema, and how these subjects interact with each other.